Feeling a bit down, lonely, or unconfident? The pervasive expertise - be it from national health services, counselors, famous self-help authors, the Dalai Lama or local pastor - is that a basic element of mental health is to help others. Why? Volunteering connects us with fellow man, keeps us active, provides learning to stimulate growth/end stagnation, and provides a perspective which inevitably leads to improved self-awareness. Feeling useful makes us feel valued and valuable.

National Volunteer Week is in April. So are Child Abuse Prevention, Counseling, Sexual Assault (which increased in North Idaho, while other violent crimes decreased), STD, and Autism Awareness months. Being a court appointed special advocate for abused children is an especially rewarding way to volunteer. It's high commitment and high reward; sometimes (or often) the CASA is the child's only reliable calm in a frightening storm. CASA's annual fundraising breakfast is Thursday.

Most charities couldn't exist without volunteers, some with minimal (a lunch hour) or drop-in time commitments. Even a little can mean a lot. Opportunities in North Idaho include:

CASA: Assess a child's needs then report to a judge (208) 667-9165

Food bank: Pantry help; stocking, inventory, customers, vegetable garden (208) 770-3018 Coeur d'Alene; (208) 773-0139 Post Falls

North Idaho Violence Prevention Center: Crisis counseling/hospital or court advocacy, thrift store (208) 664-9303

Libraries: Children's storytime, bookstore, writer's competition (208) 769-2315 (Local elementary schools also use volunteers to read with kids)

Meals on Wheels: Prepare or deliver meals to shut-ins (208) 667-4628

Hospice of North Idaho: Patient/spiritual/bereavement care, office and thrift store (208) 772-7994

Kootenai Health: Auxiliary/store, teen volunteers, pet therapy, patient interaction (208) 666-2511

North Idaho Aids Coalition: Fundraising events, awareness, transportation (208) 665-1448

Kootenai Humane Society: Walk dogs, pet cats, foster animals (208) 772-4019

Salvation Army/Kroc: Sports coaching, youth camps, mentors, after school programs (208) 763-0627

Big Brothers/Big Sisters: Mentor a youth (208) 667-0975

TESH: Varies; help adults and children with disabilities (208) 765-5105

St. Vincent de Paul: An umbrella for multiple organizations (homeless, Project Safe Place/teens/youth mentoring, ICARE/abused kids and parenting skills, veterans, career counseling) (208) 664-3095

Area Agency on Aging: Help solve seniors' problems (208) 667-3179

Inland NW Blood Center: Office, canteen, and donor assistance (208) 667-5461

Soroptimists: Women helping girls and women http://soroptimistcda.org

This list is only partial, both in organizations and types of volunteers. If you have a talent or desire to help in a specific way not listed, please email me. I'll do my best to connect you with a worthy cause.

Multiple studies have confirmed direct correlations between helping others and increased feelings of happiness and well-being. Perhaps it's as simple as shifting focus outside of oneself to the lives of others. The lovely irony is that it results in feeling better about your own.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at sholehjo@hotmail.com